Video Peer Support
Are you feeling lonely?
Maybe loneliness isn’t the
issue, but you’re struggling
with other things. Maybe
you’re feeling really
overwhelmed by your classes
or don’t seem to be
adjusting very well to
college life. Whatever is
going on, we can help!
Graduate student counselors
in the Professional
Counseling program are here
to listen and help you deal
with your issues. Chances
are that student counselors
have gone through similar
types of situations you’re
dealing with right now. Why
not give us a try? Student
counselors are available to
talk to you on Mondays and
Thursdays from 6:00 – 8:00
p.m. using Skype, a free,
private video service which
allows two people to have a
face-to-face conversation
with one another on their
computer screens. Skype
automatically encrypts video
conversations as a
protection of privacy. If
you have not yet downloaded
Skype on to
your computer, you may do so
by clicking on the following
link:
http://www.skype.com/download/
If you would like to talk
to one of our student
counselors, then simply send
an e-mail at least 24 hours
in advance to
mtsupsc@hushmail.com (a
secure e-mail account). We
will let you know what time
a student counselor will be
available to talk to you.
Video Peer Support is a free
service provided to MTSU
students. Here are the
policies and procedures
pertaining to this service:
1. Make sure that you can
have a video chat with a
student counselor by
reviewing the instructions
on the Skype website:
http://www.skype.com/help/guides/howtoskype_video/
At a minimum, you will need
a web cam, microphone and a
broadband internet
connection.
2. E-mail the PSC at
least 24 hours in advance
using your university e-mail
account to arrange a time to
talk to a student counselor.
The PSC will e-mail you to
inform you of your “Skype
time.” As a protection of
privacy, the PSC will
respond to your e-mail
request with a very brief
confirmation of your
scheduled video chat session
with a student counselor
(e.g., “You may initiate a
video call with us at 6:00
p.m. on Monday.”).
3. MTSU students initiate
video calls with student
counselors. You can start a
video call by clicking on
the video button of the
contact in your Skype
contact list (assuming you
make the PSC one of your
contacts ahead of time). You
can also activate video by
going to the “Tools" menu,
choosing “Options" and then
selecting “Video". For
further information, follow
the directions provided at
www.skype.com. When the
student counselor answers
your video call, you will be
asked to show your MTSU ID
to verify your status as a
student. Once that’s done,
let the talking begin!
4. As a protection of
your privacy, it is
important that no one else
(e.g., roommate) is around
when you are talking to the
student counselor. If this
is not an option, then you
might consider closing the
door of the room where the
computer is located,
creating background noise
(e.g., turn on a radio or
television) so others will
not overhear your
conversation, and/or
reschedule your video call
on a different day. It is
your decision whether or not
it is in your best interests
to initiate and/or maintain
a video call.
5. It is important to
initiate video calls
promptly as student
counselors have set aside
time to talk to you. Video
calls may last a maximum of
25 minutes assuming they
start on time. Video calls
are scheduled every half
hour, thus there are five
minute buffers between the
end of one call and the
start of another call. Video
calls which start late
(e.g., 6:10 p.m.) will still
need to end at the original
ending time (e.g., 6:25
p.m.).
Disclaimer: Video peer
support is not a replacement
for counseling. It is only
meant as a short-term
support service to MTSU
students who do not believe
they require counseling and
who prefer an option to
in-person contact. Student
counselors encourage MTSU
students to contact MTSU
Counseling Services, located
in 329 Keathley University
Center (898-2670), in the
event ongoing counseling
services are warranted.
MTSU
Psychological Services
Center
MTSU
P.O. Box 87
Murfreesboro, TN 37132
Telephone: (615) 898-5192
Fax: (615) 494-8727
Electronic mail:
psc@mtsu.edu
~
"Thanks to the MTSU College
of Continuing Education &
Distance Learning
for their financial support
of this website and
associated services."
Services
